SIMULATION TOOL FOR DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT OPTIMIZATION OF AUTOMATED INTERBAY MATERIAL HANDLING AND STORAGE-SYSTEMS FOR LARGE WAFER-FAB

The ever-increasing need to introduce in Wafer Fab automated handling and storage systems, requires reliable design and performance analysis tools. In this paper a simulation model, able to represent both the handling and storage devices and the Wafer Fab production progress, is presented. The process dynamic is approached by generalized probability density functions linked only to global process parameters (i.e., throughput time, theoretical cycle times), that may be a priori known. The methodology is tested with reference to a large Wafer Fab recently installed in Italy by Texas Instruments.